BBL12 will bring in the new year with another double header on Sunday, with the struggling Renegades and Heat hosting the Scorchers and Sixers, respectively.

As Australia heats up, so is the fight for spots in the BBL final five, so expect some fireworks in both matches today.

Draftstars have put up a heap of contests to suit every budget, including Qualifiers for the new Big Bash Star competition.

Here Josh Nevett will give his DFS tips for each encounter.

Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers

Renegades Squad: Nic Maddinson (c), Aaron Finch, Martin Guptill (NZ), Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Mackenzie Harvey, Akeal Hosein (WI), Shaun Marsh, David Moody, Kane Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Tom Rogers, Will Sutherland, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (AFG), Jon Wells

Scorchers Squad: Ashton Turner (C), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Faf du Plessis (SA), Aaron Hardie, Peter Hatzoglou, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis (VC), Matt Kelly, Adam Lyth (ENG), Hamish McKenzie, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Stephen Eskinazi

After a promising start, the Renegades are now on a downward slide, having lost their last three matches.

Poor batting has been the main reason for each of those losses – the Renegades have scored 124, 115 and 114 since beating the Heat.

It’s a familiar battle for the men in red, who will be looking to their veterans to stand up.

The likes of Guptill, Maddinson, Finch and Marsh simply must find form if the Renegades are to turn things around.

On the other hand, the Scorchers sit atop the table with a game in hand.

Perth have been superb with both bat and ball – Josh Inglis has scored 187 runs while Jhye Richardson has 12 wickets to his name.

As such, this appears to be a lopsided clash.

Renegades vs Scorchers Fantasy Plays

Love It – Will Sutherland ($11,300)

Victoria’s young gun has enjoyed an upscaled role in recent matches, bowling his full allotment of overs as well as taking on the title of the designated hitter. As a result, he has produced three consecutive scores over 60, with a 77 last start against the Sixers. That’s a great return at this price.

Don’t Love It – Faf Du Plessis ($18,100)

Du Plessis has been inconsistent since joining the Scorchers, averaging 48 points in five matches. While the South African has produced one slate-breaking performance against the Stars, he simply hasn’t done enough so far to justify his $18k price tag in DFS.

Who Knows – Martin Guptill (14,100)

Joining the Renegades as one of the most celebrated T20 batsmen in the world, Guptill has failed to fire so far with scores of 0 and 22. The big-hitting Kiwi is a proven performer at the very highest level, so surely a big score isn’t far away, but how much longer can DFS players trust him before they lose faith?

Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers

Heat Squad: Jimmy Peirson (c), Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Sam Billings (ENG), Josh Brown (LRP), Max Bryant, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro (NZ), Michael Neser, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Ross Whiteley (ENG)          

Sixers Squad: Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Dan Christian, Ben Dwarshuis, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Nathan Lyon, Izharulhaq Naveed (AFG), Chris Jordan (ENG), Steve O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk, James Vince (ENG), Todd Murphy, Mickey Edwards, Jack Edwards

In another David vs Goliath encounter, the last-placed Heat will host perennial contenders the Sixers on New Year’s Day.

Unlike the Renegades, the Heat’s weakness has been their bowling.

Brisbane have taken just 28 wickets in five matches, allowing teams to achieve match-winning totals.

Meanwhile, the Sixers have found top form, winning four matches on the bounce.

It’s been a team effort – Sydney don’t have any of the stat leaders, but every player is contributing.

Brisbane will be aspiring to spread the load like the Sixers in 2023 if they are any chance of making a push for the finals.

Heat vs Sixers Fantasy Plays

Love It – James Bazley ($15,400)

Bazley has thrived as an all-rounder this season. He is averaging over 72 DFS points, but more importantly, he has scored 107 and 168 in two home matches. The Heat are back at The Gabba tonight, so I expect Bazley to be in the thick of the action.

Don’t Love It – Max Bryant ($11,100)

Bryant has failed to kick on this season after years of promise. The aggressive opener has averaged less than 14 points and managed just one score of note, a 57.5 against the Strikers. While Bryant has a great role, the quality of tonight’s opposition will likely expose his lack of form.

Who Knows – Josh Phillipe ($19,700)

Phillipe is the top-priced player on this slate, which some may struggle to justify. The Sixers keeper has averaged 40 with two scores of 70+, but both of those scores came at home, so he clearly prefers playing at the SCG. How many DFS players will back the talent to score away from home tonight?

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